American Airlines and United Airlines are two of the most prominent air carriers in the United States, which has led to an understandable rivalry between the companies over the years.
This week, the two airlines engaged in a battle of words and actions, with American’s latest announcement regarding new routes sending a clear message to its major competitor.
American announces five new routes for 2026
On Thursday morning, American Airlines revealed an expansion of its service out of Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles International, starting later this year.
Tickets for the new routes go on sale next Monday. The five new connections are as follows:
- Chicago O’Hare to Allentown, Pa. – Twice daily, year-round flights starting May 21
- Chicago O’Hare to Columbia, S.C. – Twice daily, year-round flights starting May 21
- Chicago O’Hare to Kahului, Hawaii – Daily service running December 17, 2026 through March 27, 2027
- Los Angeles to Cleveland, Ohio – Daily service, year-round starting April 7
- Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. – Daily service, year-round starting April 7
The three Chicago routes are the most noteworthy, as the announcement comes one day after United CEO Scott Kirby promised to “draw a line in the sand” regarding American expansion in the Windy City.
Speaking on Wednesday’s United Airlines earnings call, the occasionally brash Kirby was asked about American gaining traction in Chicago and how United planned to handle it.
The 58-year-old executive didn’t mince words with his response.
“In 2025, American added gates. That means we watched it. We could have responded. We chose not to. They’re going to win 3 gates back at our expense when the analysis comes out later this year. We knew that was going to happen. We figured we’d just let it settle into a new normal and that would all be fine,” Kirby explained.
“But in 2026, we’re drawing a line in the sand. We are not going to allow them to win a single gate at our expense in 2026. We’re not trying to win gates, but we’re going to add as many flights as are required to make sure that we keep our gate count the same in Chicago.”
American fires back
While American Airlines was obviously planning its new O’Hare routes for some time, the timing of today’s announcement seems like a clear salvo back at Kirby and United.
“While it’s clear that one hub carrier would prefer less competition at O’Hare, the inconsistent, third-party claims regarding our performance in Chicago are unsubstantiated,” American said in a statement, via The Dallas Morning News.
“Two competing hub carriers means ORD is positioned to provide lower fares and more options to travel to, from and through Chicago. That competition is inherently good for the City of Chicago and economic development in the region, as well as for consumers, both in Chicago and beyond, and is a key contributor to O’Hare’s return to the busiest airfield in the nation in 2025.”
Watching how things continue to unfold between these two carriers in 2026 will certainly be interesting.
